The organisers over at Kerrang! Have always gone out of their way to ensure the line up each year is diverse as can be, bringing together different styles to generally celebrate heavy music as a whole, than trying to appeal to one type of fan, and this year is no exception. After several hours queuing in the cold, wet miserable weather, we’re greeted with the first band of the night; BABY GODZILLA [3]. Now as much as I try, I actually haven’t got a clue what to say about these Nottingham based lunatics. Their style is a modern thrash / metalcore based onslaught that destroys everything in its path, they may as well have left out the “Baby” and just called themselves Godzilla! A lot of the time was spent diving around, climbing amps, wandering the crowd, throwing guitars around, generally being chaotic, which was fun to watch, but not really enjoyable to listen to.
NEKROGOBLIKON [6] were up next and again, they are quite hard to understand as a band. Musically they are fine; their mix of growled vocals, hefty guitar work and the odd lick of a keyboard gives them a slight resemblance to CHILDREN OF BODOM at times, just not as ferocious. It’s straightforward enough, but, then we have the fact that an actual goblin joins them on stage. Ok he’s not a real goblin, but a man in costume…that, really doesn’t do, anything? He talks a bit, interacts with the crowd between songs, but generally prances around, head banging, giving it the horn, it’s purely all for show and as a gimmick, is a pretty weak one. I can’t see the novelty lasting long at all. Can’t help but feel they are trying too hard.
CROSSFAITH [8] are tonight’s main support, and it’s blatantly obvious why. They came to put on a show and by damn they put on a show. The quality and confidence in the performance by this Japanese 5-piece was outstanding. As a front man, Kenta Koie has the crowd under his control more or less right away, commanding circle pits and even the infamous wall of death, as he powers through the set. Terufumi Tomano joining him occasionally on vocals in between programming/electronics, and sipping neat Jack Daniels right from the bottle, it’s all very well executed and a sign of a band with a bright future ahead of them.
Now that everyone is properly warmed up, it’s time for tonight’s headliners, and probably the reason 98% of people got a ticket. LIMP BIZKIT [9], are tonight playing possibly the smallest UK show they have ever done, and the atmosphere is incredible. Guitarist Wes Borland struts on stage looking as audacious as ever, in a white blazer jacket, boxer shorts, a painted white face with electric blue full-eye contact lenses…he looks ridiculous yet somehow all the more respectable. He’s got Hawaiian flower necklaces, he’s sipping Bacardi from a pineapple, he’s here to party! Bassist Sam Rivers and drummer John Otto aren’t far behind, River’s eyes fixed on the crowd, he’s ready for this, before finally Fred Durst coolly walks on, with the band bursting straight into “Rollin’”. The crowd go NUTS as expected, with people being carried over the barrier here there and everywhere. Security at the front have earned they’re pay tonight! It’s a very “Chocolate Starfish…” based set list, with “Hot Dog” coming next, as well as including “My Generation”, “Livin’ It Up”, “My Way” and “Take A Look Around”. Newer tracks such as “Gold Cobra” make an appearance, as well as their cover of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE’s “Killing In The Name”, before, despite Durst’s insistence that they've been told they can’t play “Break Stuff”, they end the set with that very song, and there’s not one person in the room unhappy. Despite the jet lag, despite the first night of any tour meaning bands are maybe a little rusty, Limp Bizkit have owned it tonight. It’s rare you get to witness bands of this size in such (all things considered) intimate venues, the Kerrang! Tour has made it possible this year with one of the biggest bands of a generation, and it’s been incredible.
NEKROGOBLIKON [6] were up next and again, they are quite hard to understand as a band. Musically they are fine; their mix of growled vocals, hefty guitar work and the odd lick of a keyboard gives them a slight resemblance to CHILDREN OF BODOM at times, just not as ferocious. It’s straightforward enough, but, then we have the fact that an actual goblin joins them on stage. Ok he’s not a real goblin, but a man in costume…that, really doesn’t do, anything? He talks a bit, interacts with the crowd between songs, but generally prances around, head banging, giving it the horn, it’s purely all for show and as a gimmick, is a pretty weak one. I can’t see the novelty lasting long at all. Can’t help but feel they are trying too hard.
CROSSFAITH [8] are tonight’s main support, and it’s blatantly obvious why. They came to put on a show and by damn they put on a show. The quality and confidence in the performance by this Japanese 5-piece was outstanding. As a front man, Kenta Koie has the crowd under his control more or less right away, commanding circle pits and even the infamous wall of death, as he powers through the set. Terufumi Tomano joining him occasionally on vocals in between programming/electronics, and sipping neat Jack Daniels right from the bottle, it’s all very well executed and a sign of a band with a bright future ahead of them.
Now that everyone is properly warmed up, it’s time for tonight’s headliners, and probably the reason 98% of people got a ticket. LIMP BIZKIT [9], are tonight playing possibly the smallest UK show they have ever done, and the atmosphere is incredible. Guitarist Wes Borland struts on stage looking as audacious as ever, in a white blazer jacket, boxer shorts, a painted white face with electric blue full-eye contact lenses…he looks ridiculous yet somehow all the more respectable. He’s got Hawaiian flower necklaces, he’s sipping Bacardi from a pineapple, he’s here to party! Bassist Sam Rivers and drummer John Otto aren’t far behind, River’s eyes fixed on the crowd, he’s ready for this, before finally Fred Durst coolly walks on, with the band bursting straight into “Rollin’”. The crowd go NUTS as expected, with people being carried over the barrier here there and everywhere. Security at the front have earned they’re pay tonight! It’s a very “Chocolate Starfish…” based set list, with “Hot Dog” coming next, as well as including “My Generation”, “Livin’ It Up”, “My Way” and “Take A Look Around”. Newer tracks such as “Gold Cobra” make an appearance, as well as their cover of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE’s “Killing In The Name”, before, despite Durst’s insistence that they've been told they can’t play “Break Stuff”, they end the set with that very song, and there’s not one person in the room unhappy. Despite the jet lag, despite the first night of any tour meaning bands are maybe a little rusty, Limp Bizkit have owned it tonight. It’s rare you get to witness bands of this size in such (all things considered) intimate venues, the Kerrang! Tour has made it possible this year with one of the biggest bands of a generation, and it’s been incredible.
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